So, the Malays who are frustrated with Umno and feel neglected by the party leadership, accusing Barisan Nasional of favoritism and nepotism; and losing all privileges they once enjoyed, may join DAP from now on.

As general election closes in, they will also get the chance to stand as DAP candidates. And of course, they will clash with BN nominees in the Malay majority constituencies.

Nice, isn't it? Having more Malays in DAP will relive the moment when Ahmad Nor was one of the party commandants, the only Malay who looked at DAP as a true demoractic party.

Me? I like the idea of more Malays joining DAP. Who knows, one day DAP will be dominated by the Malays, hence more Malays will be appointed to the top brass of the so-called Democratic Action Party of Malaysia.

But can they realise that? DAP is so demoractic that it failed to hold party elections for a long, long time. Nobody dared to contest the top positions as they are too obsessed (or scared) of Lim Kit Siang, Karpal Singh, Lim Guan Eng and others. Even the central committee members are those endorsed by the top leadership.

So democratic are they that nobody within the party should criticise the leaders or face the 'loudest'music. Opposition within the party will be deemed as 'traitor'. Remember what prompted Lee Lam Thye to quit the party two decades ago?

And what endured some people to leave the party they once rode on and joined another? The had their glorious time with Umno and MCA but decided to join DAP and PKR after losing the position the their respective parties. Some of them were just 'wakil rakyat' for a term but managed to join the millionaires club.

One simple question from a layman - if you are a good 'wakil rakyat', why only for one term?

And just because you got booted at the previous general election (for not being a good peoples' representative), you feel dejected and humiliated. So, the only way for you to vent your anger and frustration is to join the Opposition.

Its an individual's rights to join whatever party he wishes but the choronolgy itself spells doubt and stigma. Since you failed to reach the hallmark of politics, you start blaming your own party and those who once voted you in.

Such people claim of having the prowess to bring about changes to the nation. That is commendable. Personally, I would like to see it happens. But the record speaks for itself. For all the accusation that there are so many flaws in the government (no government is perfect), the party they chose to hop is even worse.

Take a look at the Pakatan States. Except for Penang (Guan Eng is just continuing the BN policy), the rest are not making progress, socially and economically. Kedah, for instance, is dropping far behind Selangor and Penang in terms of GDP growth while employment rate is incorrigible.

But still, why must we blame Umno for our incompetency? A level-headed politician will think many times before quitting on the party that once flushed him with power and wealth. A wise member should reconsider his decision to leave the party that used to provide him with so many assistance, including monetary.

However, the still left the party. Why? Because they already lost their footing in the party and their demands were not longer fulfilled. They have forgotten the fact that Umno does not belong to one or two persons. The party needs to help others too. But these people take it differently - that Umno must listen to their unreasonable plights!

Why did Tengku Razaleigh leave Umno and formed Semangat 46? Why did Chua Jui Meng join PKR? Because they failed to get what they wanted. Overwhelmed by frustration, they turned their back on their own party.

I don't blame those who quit on Umno and join other parties. But I regret that those who did are the ones who used to hold important position in the BN government and still enjoy pension and other perks.

In fact, there are already news that a few more friends in Umno will be joining DAP pretty soon. I wish them all the best but majority of the Malays will remain united in Umno and under Barisan Nasional. Its a usual thing to have protagonists and antagonists here and there but the bottom line is, we should avoid being superficial.

It will be a faux pas to wake up the next morning and realise what we did yesterday was entirely wrong!

So, what kind of Malays go to DAP?

Checking my mobile phone, I still keep few text messages from three former Umno members who sought the party's help over something...

Almost finished: Work on the repainting of Kampung Melayu flats' Block B in Air Itam is 70% completed. THE repainting of Kampung Melayu flats' Block B in Air Itam, Penang, is expected to be completed in a month.

State Town and Country Planning, Housing and Arts Committee chairman Wong Hon Wai said the repainting was already 70% completed.

"Much of the exterior has already been repainted, and work on the interior is expected to begin soon.

"The 15-storey flats' block al-ready looks much better than before," he told reporters after visiting the flats.

Singapore Trip: Visit To National University of Singapore NUS – During my trip to Singapore in last November, I went to visit my brother's place and school which is the National University Of Singapore at Clementi. He studies and lives at the hostel of the university. I went to walk around the place where he lives – UTown @ NUS, a newly opened campus of NUS, housing the Residential Colleges, Graduate Residence, largest 24 hours Starbucks Coffee outlet in Singapore as well as the Campus for Research Excellence and Technological Enterprise (CREATE). The UTown feels very much like modern office blocks to me.

The campus is so much cooler and bigger when compare to Malaysia's University like the UM, USM, or the university that I am studying in – Taylor's University. However, you need to be good in order to get in to National University Of Singapore. Somehow, if I am given a chance to choose, I prefer studying abroad further away, US or UK perhaps, schools at those country have a long history and reflects a true campus life.

Many Malaysians have expressed outrage at the recent statements made by fugitive blogger Raja Petra Kamarudin's critical remarks against DSAI in recent interviews with Umno dailies Utusan Malaysia and New Straits Times. News portals and blogs are filled with comments of readers who have taken umbrage at this development at a most inopportune time, just before the next GE.

There are a few unanswered questions which he should answer.

1. If at all he intended to make those statements, why did he speak to those dailies that represent the backbone of support of the other side? Why did he not approach online news portals? He has to explain why he chose to speak to the MSM whose reach are pro-status quo instead of the online news portals whose readers are more 'enlightened' and are able to make valid judgements of their own to assess the truth and validity behind his statements.

2. With the rumored GE expected to happen as early as this month, why did he choose to slam DSAI who in all matters regardless of his weaknesses, is still the head of Pakatan rakyat? Clearly, the damaging statements have undermined the effort of PR and many other activists. For one who helped PR so much, why did he put PR in bad light? Granted there are many weaknesses that they have, especially of late but surely there is another channel of communication to sort matters in a less damaging and more constructive manner!

3. DSAI is already under siege and in deep sh**. As a once-upon-a-time respected opinion leader, why did RPK, as one keeps saying ABU ABU, kick Anwar down knowing full well smashing him utterly and completely for all and sundry to see? Hitting below the belt at anyone is certainly not on!

4. Homophobic statements are also NOT on! The verdict has not been given and it is really unfair for him to make statements such as ""I don't care. If you say is Anwar gay? I say maybe. But you cannot become prime minister. That is the reality," said Raja Petra in an interview published today the Malay-language Mingguan Malaysia." extracted from THIS LINK. You can read more about sub judice AT THIS LINK.

5. According to FMT, "Reform activist and influential blogger Raja Petra Kamarudin believes that Anwar Ibrahim was a victim of a honey-trap, but quickly added that the opposition leader was given a fair trial. (AT THIS LINK). If that is so, RPK should stop calling himself Fugitive Blogger and come home and get his share of the "fair trial" courtesy of Bolehland.

6. Raja Petra had alleged, in an interview with Umno daily Utusan Malaysia, that several Chinese businessmen in Selangor had complained to him that they still had to fork out "under-the-table" money in order to conduct businesses in the state, and that corruption was still rampant there. Yesterday, The Malaysian Insider reported HERE that the Selangor government demanded that blogger Raja Petra Kamarudin provide evidence to back up his claims of corruption within the state government. To date, he has not responded. Why?

Many supporters are in a daze over this turnaround. Many were going concertedly in ABU ABU fashion and all of a sudden, it is WHAM! BAM! SLAM! and those who supported him morally, financially and other ways are reeling in shock which is worse than the reaction of TV3 interview for obvious reasons.

Then, many defended him and strongly supported him because they felt he was unfairly derided censured at that time. However, this time round- the perception is completely different. In the past, he had always said 'Perception is everything'. So, it is clear that he did what he did at his own peril!

Haris Ibrahim has resigned as MCLM President while Malik Imtiaz and Sreekant Pillai have disassociated themselves from MCLM because of his statements. Where will MCLM go from here?

As a very intelligent man, did he not consider all these consequences before he met with those reporters from MSM?

RPK with his charisma and cloud had garnered a lot of supporters and fans who had supported him through so much trials in his life. Undeniably, RPK was a huge factor in helping Pakatan to gain five state governments in the last GE. Did he think his charisma and dwindling fan base could carry him through this storm?

The comments in cyberspace say otherwise.

Some have accused him of being a turncoat or that he had been bought. Others claim he was driven by his ego while some believe he has been listening to the wrong person/s.

Whatever the case, the time has come for him to explain why he did what he did. He certainly left his supporters in a lurch.

Surely his supporters and faithful friends such as Haris deserve something more than this. After all, RPK is the one who had been steering his followers in the direction of ABU. What he has done is akin to pulling the carpet from under all his supporters and even Pakatan Rakyat which is easily a large percentage of the Malaysian population.

RPK -you may have your grouses with PR and its leaders. So do many. However, we do not need a Brutus in our midst!

If anything at all, this development should gall all of us to stand together and to support Pakatan Rakyat.

Do not, I repeat - do not - become a fence-sitter. Many have expressed that they are so fed up that they will not vote. Please perish such thoughts! Your vote counts!!!

Assuming RPK could be a Trojan Horse, I am sure this would move even MORE to support Pakatan Rakyat.

Vote wisely lest we end up on the road to perdition! Not only will it affect us, but also our children and grandchildren.

Is this your way to commit hara-kiri to be the fall guy to wake us up? I don't think any one would do such a silly thing to ram to the ground everything that has been built in the last few decades.

RPK, your recent interview warrants an explanation to your supporters in MCLM, the ABU, in BERSIH and those for a corrupt-free government and to Malaysians who once-upon-a-time looked up to you.

Is there more to what you have said?

Whither now, RPK?

______________________

P.S. Just before I published this post, thanks to Angela, I just came across two interesting comments posted by two readers in Malaysiakini in response to the article on Zaid 'shocked' by RPK's attack on Anwar.

偉大的皇帝 RPK and this man are allies, I believe Zaid's remarks are a smokescreen of what is to come, the major attack on Anwar. Now this man and his backside party are pitching themselves as part of the opposition, how many parties do we need, all the scoundrels in this party are well educated, splitting hairs is going to take us nowhere, they are part of the big BN plan, believe me UMNO knows how to twist things and I have this feeling they are all in the UMNO bandwagon. Ignore the whole lot, RPK I beleive is now being funded by UMNO in a deal to keep his son safe, they used his son and blackmailed him and he succumbed, that's how it now looks.

Cronythere is a powerful suspicious link between mahathir and RPK. Please archive through all his articles in MT and you can find very strong evidence. Pre 2008 ,attack Dollah and the 4th room boys under Kharil to favour Najib , post 2008 attack Najib/Rosmah to favour Moohidin and now with Najib reduced to a cripple , go for the final kill against the opposition leader Anwar....for the return of his good friend the Great Mamak and Daim. Without this powerful link , you think he can be free by the courts , get out of malaysia so easily and now travelling in the region holidaying lavishly and crapping as if nothing has to be paid.

Hmmm…. I said earlier I was done with my back-to-school shopping, no? Did I miss any kid that I had to do another round of shopping this morning?

Well, this one wasn't so much of a back-to-school shopping, but a going-to-culinary-school shopping for Azman, Sofie's son. If you recall, Azman had wanted to quit school after his PMR and start working. But I managed to coax him to join a culinary school instead, seeing his interest in cooking. He agreed. And after arranging this and that, I finally managed to secure a place for him at a culinary school, paid for the registration etc, just waiting for them to call for the start of the semester for the next cohort.

Meanwhile, I needed to bring Azman to buy some stuff before he goes off to the culinary school. I asked the lady at the school earlier about their dress code and was told that for certain occasions, he'd need to wear shirt and slacks, while certain classes he can wear collared t-shirts. In addition, he needs to wear shoes. No sandals, no slippers. I asked Azmi if he had any of those. He has 2 pairs of collared t-shirts – that's it! Other than his school shoes and uniforms, he'd usually be wearing round-neck t-shirts and faded jeans with sandals or slippers.

Yesterday I told Sofie to make sure Azmi gets ready before 10 am – I'd be fetching him to bring him shopping. I got to the town just before 10 am, and on the way to their house, I noticed Azman was with Sofie at her nasi lemak stall. So I didn't have to go to their house after all (the house wasn't that far anyway). Sofie's 2 younger kids were at home. Great, I thought, I had wanted to have a one-to-one talk with Azman, without any of his younger siblings tagging along.

So off we went to a nearby supermarket. On the way, I asked him again if he really, really wanted to go to the culinary school. His mother is afraid he may go through it halfway and quit, because he had always been fickle-minded in school matters before. I think I probably am more confident in him than his own mother – Sofie based it on Azman's previous fickle-mindedness while I based it on Azman's interest in culinary matters.

Anyway, the supermarket just opened when we got there. Immediately we headed to the gent department. First up, to get 2 pairs of slacks, black in colour. Well, Azman is rather chubby, but short. So we just chose the sizes based on his waist, the length can be shortened later. The old mechanical sewing machine that I gave to them some time ago is still working, so either Sofie or Azman himself can adjust the length later at home. Then 2 pairs of collared t-shirts, followed by 2 pairs of shirts. Finally, a pair of shoes. All done is just about half an hour because Azman himself isn't the fussy type, unlike his 2 younger siblings. Anything too expensive, he'd just put back, and when I asked him to choose the shoes, he just opted for the cheaper pair. 2 pairs of slacks, 2 pairs of shirts, 2 pairs of collared t-shirts, and one pair of shoes = RM240. Just about the average amount spent for the other children's back-to-school shopping earlier.

By the time we headed back to Sofie's stall, she was already packing up with her daughter Ika helping her out. It was about 10.45 am by then and according to Sofie, usually by that time there wouldn't be any more customers. So although there were still some more nasi lemak, she usually packs up at before 11 am. I decided to stop so that Azman could help as well. Just then one last customer came to buy 2 nasi lemak and so Ika & Azman helped to pack the 2 nasi lemak at RM1 each – a cup of rice, some sambal, kacang goreng, cucumber and a small piece of ikan masin.

Anyway, since I was there, I offered to carry the big umbrella in my car. Usually they'd bring it home on her motorbike. I got to their house first together with Azman. Saiful was just about getting ready to go to the stall to help pack up. Just a few minutes later Sofie got home together with Ika. I immediately said to Ika, "Nasi lemak satu!" "Kejap," she replied, "nanti bagi special punya!"

So yeah, I got my nasi lemak special – served in a plate, with stainless steel fork & spoon, extra sambal, one whole egg, and a glass of ice drink to add. Not bad… no wonder people like to order from her… either nasi lemak or whatever kuih.

Unlike the other customers who had to pay RM1 for each pack of nasi lemak, I got my nasi lemak special for free….

BUT…

at the end of it, I actually passed to Sofie RM200 donated by a blog reader, so the nasi lemak special was worth RM200 for her. Only thing was, I was the one who got to eat the nasi lemak instead of the donor… :)

6. Pakatan prepared to face Anwar's jailing in MalaysiakiniAT THIS LINK. According to that article, "If I am jailed, involved in an accident or get shot, we have discussed situations one, two and three, collectively and as a group," Anwar told a press conference after chairing the Pakatan Leadership Council meeting at PKR headquarters in Petaling Jaya today. CLICK HERE FOR MORE.

___________________

My post on Smack in the Eye of the Storm generated a range of interesting responses which merit more airing and discussion. As such, I am reposting their comments here with the hope that more readers and friends will be moved to voice their views.

I strongly believe that we should not be rattled by such developments but remain unfazed and even more determined to support the cause for better governance for our country.

1. Walla Let's attribute all these disturbances to the ending of this solar cycle courtesy of the Mayan prophecy. That might also explain Camus' syphilis. (Oops...see what i mean)

No matter what will be happening in the lights-out intermission before GE13, stay fast to a few points:

one, the present federal government is corrupt and incorrigible;

two, the federal institutions governing rule of law and order of standards have been compromised to the core by the same said government;

three, the same said government is biased by gate-keeping diehards of Umno and its organs of mass chauvinism;

four, those diehards are steadfast in defending their personal interests and agenda using the standard divisive platforms of race, religion, royalty and rights;

five, these divisive platforms have neutered our national cohesiveness and competitiveness by erasing the true potential of both 'national' and 'competitiveness';

six, all measures have been taken to neutralize the real voice of the majority of the rakyat with regards the aforementioned five points, solely for the purpose of returning the present federal government, politically Umno, to a higher majority in Parliament so that their position-leveraged financial privileges and outright graft can continue unchallenged after the next general elections, further augmented by new billion-ringgit sized business opportunities as painted in the spin-propelled economic transformation projects, these aside from the usual pre-inflated annual budget allocations for all sizes and manners of things.

Even if after reading that we harbour two minds about who to vote next, we should at least have a modicum of common sense to ask ourselves one simple non-partisan question:

Would a government doing all these bad things to the rakyat it was elected to serve honestly be anytime reducing the resultant massive national debt the country is experiencing today that will have to borne by your children and their future generations while facing competitive pressures they are being made unequipped to fight?

If your answer is still yes, then let's welcome the Mayan prophecy - because that will exactly be what's going to happen to this country's future.

If your answer is no, then walk into that polling booth and do the right thing because enough has long gone past enough until it is today, tomorrow and GE13-day the last syphilitic straw.

All bets are not on any political party. All bets are on the rakyat of Malaysia.

[Malaysia, the cuti-curi country with the finest fried oyster and prawn-pasty assam laksa in the galaxy]

Why are all bets on the rakyat and not on any political party? Because any political party which screws up can be expelled by just one singular action of the collective votes of the rakyat. Or returned in the subsequent election if the one which wins screws up too.

Your humble vote carries a mighty punch. It (a) teaches the deviants a smacking lesson, and at the same time (b) it throws a warning on the elected to watch it or face up to the wrath of the rakyat. These days, from any and all denominations, no?

;P

2. UP41

Dear MWS,

Welcome back with less fire but more wisdom.

Of course we need to vote against the rot and corrupted.

Take care esp those important things in life:- health, family, friends, yr students and then ppl.

Forget the politicians. Politicians are like MLM/Insurance salesman, fundamentalists.... - if you not with them , you are against them.

says:

3. StraightTalking

Hi Paula! Long time no see. Like you, I've been very busy. For a while I thought that you must have been "silenced" by "unseen forces". You know what I mean. For a while I was feeding at other political forums. Then when I saw this post and I was so happy I had to kiss my teddy bear and told him, "See, I knew she'd come back!"

You don't wish to comment on RPK's recent actions? Well, I do. He has betrayed the people - period. Sure, he's not a politician, but he led everyone, well almost, to believe that he is a patriot. I, too, was, for a long time, fooled by him. I've already noticed a subtle change in him (maybe from six months before) when he stopped his BN exposes and began writing nonsense all with one objective - to confuse the people, especially PR supporters. Man! He almost got away with it. I'm glad he's dead now. Yeah, I chose the word "dead". In fact he's right now, deader than dead as far as his writing are concerned. No one will ever respect nor believe him again. EVER!!! In fact, I've just nominated the bastard for the "Man of the Year" award. It's from the Malaysian Academy of Con-Artists. He is con-man par excellence!!!

As for BN, our younf lady Walla couldn't have said it better - Vote for BN, and be prepared for a one-way ticket to hell! BN has taken us all for a 50-year long ride. It is time we get off and take a new bus onto a new and brighter future.

The only way out of this huge mess is to, what? Of course, IS TO VOTE FOR PAKATAN RAKYAT!!!!

We've shown the bastards how even an "unrehearsed" unity and cooperation among the opposition can achieve in 2008. Let's show them what a strong and united opposition coalition can achieve this year. It will make the 2008 tsunami look like child's pee.

Warmest regards

Nothing else matters now -whether Anwar has two dicks.

4. K A

Everyone is condemning RPK as a turncoat.

Unfortunately many people fail to see that his words and actions have actually been quite consistent. He has been pushing for a third force for quite some time now. I haven't seen the full interview transcript but from what i gather he has merely voiced that Anwar will likely not be acceptable by the muslim population to run the country. But neither has he stated that BN is fit as well. He is probably stating his honest opinion that there should be someone better, in other words a third choice.

Of course, the third force is still too much of a dream and will not see the light of day until another generation or so down the road. Unfortunately for us, RPK may feel that he has the luxury of time to push for a more 'ideal' government in Malaysia, but for the rest of us living in Malaysia, things are becoming untenable and ABU is really the best way forward in the short term, thorns and all.

To me RPK is not a turncoat. He is merely blinded by his idealism and stubborn efforts to have the 'perfect' government.

5. StraightTalking

Anyone who wants a "perfect" government or would rather go with the devil is obviously of unsound mind. Look at all the flak that Pakatan is getting from BN sponsored rouges, almost NONE are about corruption. Even if there were, it was about a few thousand here and there unexplained or misappropriated. Look at BN - it's about BILLIONS, HUNDREDS OF BILLIONS!!! Yet, RPK still wants to find a "perfect" government to replace BN?

You honestly think BN is not watching with hawk eyes how the administrators are doing in PR held states? The moment anyone at the top or mid level cheats or abuses his authority, BN will jump on him/her so fast that he/she will not have the time to even say, "Shit!" and his/her fae will be plastered all over TV and newspapers.

Come on, what do you want from Pakatan? Saints?

Even if RPK is not a turncoat, his actions and words already showed that he is of unsound mind to guide the people through his articles. He has simply gone MAD! How on earth can anyone who really has good intentions for his country come out with such farked up statements the way he did when we are just a whisper from the next GE?!!

It is almost like you are walking up the aisle with your bride-to-be, and suddenly your BEST FRIEND who is sitting somewhere in the hall shouts out, "Hey brother, the slut you were banging last night is on the phone and wants to talk to you"!

6. Walla

Let's see whether on the 9th, Anwar's fate was already decided at Toyo's trial.

This morning, while waiting for my turn to see the doctor, I chatted with an elderly Singh who sat beside me. He told me he had food poisoning and tried all sorts of remedies but they all failed.

I asked him if he tried taking the traditional Chinese pills called 'Poh chai yuen'. He said yes and thanked his Chinese neighbour for it. Gesturing with his hands raised, he said, 'Well, this is Malaysia what!' Then, he added, 'What 1Malaysia!?' Well, obviously, he was downplaying the political 1Malaysia concept when in reality, the common Malaysians are so helpful towards each other.

On his own, the Singh went on to share about one of his friends - a Malay and 'second man at Shell'. He was surprised to hear his son who came home from school one day and said, 'I am the chosen lot.'

It's been a popular misconception for a long time now that ingesting fat will MAKE you fat. Unfortunately, this is not true and anyone subscribing to this theory is doing themselves a huge disservice. Did you know that if you starve your body of fats, it will start to hang on to fat even harder, which makes it even harder for you to lose the fat on your body. Don't kid yourself. Dietary fat

The margin of time that determines muscle building success or failure in the gym is a heck of a lot shorter than you might think. Just as fraction-of-a-second moments during a 100 metre dash will make or break a sprinter's race, fraction-of-a-second moments will also make or break your body's muscle growth response in the gym. In fact, your entire margin of success in the gym can

Everyone works out to look and feel better right? Otherwise, what's the point? So, are you sure you're getting the maximum results from your training session? Are you working out when your energy is highest, or just when it's convenient to your schedule? I understand that scheduling can be a bit of a problem in today's world, but if you aren't working out when your personal energy is jumpin'